Nidum

Nidum was a Roman fort near the town of Neath in south Wales. Built first in about AD 74 from earth and wood, it later shrank to two-thirds of its size and was rebuilt in stone. The fort stood for only a few generations before being abandoned, then briefly reoccupied in the late third and early fourth centuries. Its name appears in a Roman road guide from the second century, linking it to forts at Loughor and Caerleon. The site is recognised by archaeologists for its gateways and unusual defences. Excavations in 1949 and 1950 uncovered the south-west and south-east gateways, which now stand in small enclosures beside modern roads. Finds include tiles, pottery, coins and evidence of a timber bridge crossing the defensive ditch. A later dig in 2011 found gate-towers projecting beyond the wall line, a rare feature in Roman Britain. Today the visible remains consist of two low stone bases enclosed by iron railings. One lies in the verge of the A474, the other in a corner of a housing estate called Roman Way. A section of ditch runs beside the bases, showing where the ramparts once stood. The fort’s outline is marked by a modern road layout, linking the past to the present.